Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large skillet
over medium-high heat. Add
shallots, ginger, and garlic; cook
until shallots are tender, about
6 minutes. Add peanut butter,
turmeric, cumin, and chili paste;
stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
Whisk in 1 cup water, then
coconut milk, lime leaves, and
brown sugar; bring to simmer.
Season sauce with salt. Add tofu,
carrots, and bell pepper; simmer
over medium heat until carrots
are tender, adjusting heat to
medium-low if beginning to boil
and occasionally stirring gently,
about 20 minutes. Season to
taste with salt. DO AHEAD: Can be
made 3 days ahead. Cool slightly,
cover, and chill. Rewarm over
medium heat before serving.

* Available in the Asian foods
section of many supermarkets
and at Asian markets.

SELECT LATEST REVIEWS

This is an easy one pot rice cooker meal. We made it for vegans the other night. Often I throw in spinach toward the end.

treeshar / 03.15.15

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I make this all the time when I need something quick and healthy. I double the cumin and tumeric, and up the sambal olek, depending on who's eating that night. i have also started searing the tofu ahead of time. I buy the already cubed, firm tofu to save time.

wendypbaker from nashville tn / 07.16.14

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LOVE LOVE LOVE! This recipe reminds me so much of the panang curry you get at Big Bowl, which was one of my favorites. I made a few minor modifications, added 1 more tsp of the chili paste and also added another 1/2 teaspoon of salt. My family also does not enjoy tofu, so I substituted shrimp and it was so wonderful. I served it with the coconut jasmine rice on this site and was in love at first bite. Highly recommended!!

swedecooker from Minneapolis MN / 04.13.14

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i enjoy the way in which this recipe looks i eaten it before with my loved ones most of us enjoyed this we may have a household gathering again and cook this recipe again soon that is one tasty recipe you have to test it i guarantee you whatever you will require to this its very tasty

I think that this is a very good recipe. I have followed many of the minor modifications suggested earlier and the result was really good.
I would say that the full taste definitely comes through only on the 2nd day; so if/when I make it for company, I'll probably cook it ahead of time. The modifications suggested earlier that I followed: (1) chicken broth for water, (2) used the additional Pananag curry paste suggested by Columbus, OH on 12/31/09 (note, though, that most ingredients in the paste overlap with ingredients used in the recipe as is, so perhaps upping those would have the same effect); (3) added peppers only toward the end.; (4) pressed water out of tofu and fried it before using in the recipe. These are actually minor modifications, or rather adjustments, just how things are with cooking, which is why I think that the recipe merits 4 forks even as written.

Apolena from Atlanta, GA / 07.10.12

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With revisions (many of them inspired by all of you) would give this 4 forks. Browned the tofu cubes to start and set them aside until the end. Agree to add 1 Tbsp fish sauce vs salt (mine even used another dash of salt at serving time, but then, I added alot of low salt ingredients). Sauce itself was tasty (luckily, I have a "family sized" pack of Kaffir lime leaves from our local Asian supermarket in the freezer). Used regular coconut milk. When adding the veg, started with cubes of yam. Let them cook for 10+ minutes before adding carrot red pepper, then in a few minutes cauliflower, then broccoli, then spinach and bean sprouts, and finally fresh minced basil (from my frozen stock). Serves an army. Delicious, with a plentiful amount of sauce. Plenty spicy enough with sambal olek (can't speak for other chili sauces).

ktraviss from West Vancouver BC / 04.02.12

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Delicious! Used regular coconut milk and fried the tofu first, but otherwise followed the recipe verbatim. Served with the coconut rice recipe on here too. Rave reviews!

jcananda from Brooklyn / 01.30.12

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This ended up being a great family
recipe. I've never had Panang Curry
or even made a Thai dish, so had no
particular expectations. I adopted
most of the suggestions - chicken
broth instead of water, added water
chestnuts and snow peas, rounded up
on the spices. Everyone voted to
have it again, with one improvement:
I will brown the tofu cubes. Nobody
cared for the soft tofu texture.

A Cook from Cleveland, OH / 01.12.12

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The panang curry is wonderful, although I made a few changes.
Replace the salt with about 1 tbsp of fish sauce (nuoc mam).
Replace the water with vegetable or chicken broth.
Halve the sugar.
Add about a handful of Thai basil leaves about 1 minute before cooking is done.
Then... it's perfect.